Should I Get My Brows Done? 11 Questions To Ask Before You Go To The Salon

I’m a do it yourself girl, especially when it comes to matters of beauty. I’ve been dying my own hair since I can remember, painting my own nails, and yes, I even rely on my mad scissor skills to trim my bangs every so often. Another thing I do on my own? My brows. I’ve got some seriously lush eyebrows. And by seriously lush, I mean that they’re nice and thick. Sure they aren’t on fleek, but they aren’t untamed furballs either. dI’ve often asked myself, should I get my brows done? But I can never quite get past the idea of slathering hot wax on my oh-so-sensitive skin. Let alone the skin on my face.

To me, it seems a little sacrilegious to put such a visible patch of skin in the danger zone. Plucking my eyebrows leaves them red and irritated for hours. I can only imagine the terror that waxing or threading would do to them! But it’s almost 2016. And what better time to branch out than on the cusp of a new year? In the name of research (and maybe in the name of trying something new), I contacted a salon professional to get her opinion on whether people should get their eyebrows done, and the 11 questions to ask before booking an appointment at the salon.

1. Should I Wax, Sugar, Or Thread?

"It's up to you to figure out which method is best for your brows," says Melody Yellin, formerly of Vogue Salon, noting that each method comes with pros and cons. While some think that waxing provides the cleanest lines, threading has seen a surge in popularity in the last few years. Girls with sensitive skin may find that sugaring is the way to go, as it's less painful than waxing.

2. Do I Have Sensitive Skin?

If so, you can still get your brows done, but you should proceed with caution. Yellin suggests telling your technician if you have sensitive skin. Often times, salons have wax specifically for sensitive skin. It can save you pain and redness if you give your technician a heads up.

3. How Long Has My Technician Been Practicing?

If you're nervous, or uncertain about going to get your brows done, arm yourself with knowledge. There is no harm in asking the salon how long your technician's been in the brow-business. "If you're assigned someone with less experience, don't be afraid to ask the salon if a senior technician can oversee the procedure to make you feel more at ease," Yellin says. The less nervous you are, the smoother things will go.

4. How Long Will The Redness Last?

Depending on the method and your skin type, Yelling says anywhere from an hour to six hours is considered normal. With threading, the redness usually dissipates in under an hour. Waxing and sugaring can cause redness for several hours, depending on how sensitive your skin is!

5. What Brow Shape Looks Best On Me?

If you're comfortable, ask your technician for guidance. "We do a lot of brow shaping," Yellin says. "If you want our advice, we're happy to give it." If you're looking for a very specific shape, Yellin says to be very specific, otherwise, technicians work based on intuition and face shape.

6. What Should I Ask For?

When in doubt, bring pictures. "It's just as important as a hair cut," says Yellin. "Bringing photos of the brow-shape you're looking for will help your technician when they're shaping your brows."

7. Should I Let Them Trim?

"We trim brows to make them look cleaner," Yellin says. "The only time I would advise against it, is if you have thin or somewhat patchy brows." If that's not the case, she suggests letting your technician do their thing and snip your brows up a wee bit.

8. If I Don't Like Them, Should I Say Something?

Even though your first reaction might be to say, they look great, Yellin suggests speaking up. "Minor tweaks can make a huge difference in brow shape," she says. "We want you as happy as possible before you leave the salon."

9. Can I Wear Makeup Afterwards?

According to Yellin, it's a good idea to wait a few hours before using products like moisturizers, foundations, or concealers. "You want to cover up the redness, but applying product too soon and clog your pores and follicles, leading to trouble down the road."

10. Should I Landscape Between Appointments?

"It all depends on your technician," Yellin says. "I'm okay with my clients tweezing a few stray hairs between appointments." As long as you're not doing anything drastic, most technicians are okay with mild clean-up between appointments.

11. What's The Best Way To Make Them Last?

"Don't be afraid of filling your brows in," says Yellin. "Using a good foundation beneath the brow bone and a powder to fill in your eyebrows and add definition can make a huge difference." Take pride in your brows, ladies.